Rick Hunter - Prelude To The Shadow Chronicles

Prelude To The Shadow Chronicles

In the comic Robotech: Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles, Rick and Lisa, still happily married, are expecting their first child. Lisa is an Admiral of the fleet while Rick is a Major General. The comic begins with Rick and Lisa facing the betrayal of the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF) by T. R. Edwards, as he defects to the side of the Invid Regent. As the SDF-3 pursues Edward's ship, the Invid Regent's supercarrier defolds nearby. The SDF-3 launches an attack but the Regent's supercarrier is able to fire first, causing extensive damage and severely injuring Lisa. Later, Rick meets with his close friends, Vince Grant and his wife, Dr. Jean Grant, to ask about Lisa. Rick is happy when he is told that Lisa will survive and he states he is looking forward to her resigning her commission after she found out she was pregnant with their first child. However, it is then that Jean Grant, with a sad look on her face, says: "Rick... She lost the baby." Rick is overwhelmed and collapses in shock and sadness.

With Lisa facing a long recovery, Rick is promoted to Admiral of the REF. One year later, the REF has rebuilt and Rick oversees the christening of the newly refitted battlecrusier Tokogawa, which is to be commanded by Vince Grant on a mission to Optera to find and stop Edwards. However, the tragedy one year earlier has taken its toll on Rick and Lisa. Rick's once black hair has turned gray and his face has aged considerably in appearance. Lisa remains in a wheelchair with braces on her legs. Both are still struggling with the death of their unborn child but manage to find the strength to carry on in their mission to stop Edwards and free Earth from the Invid. Rick, with the help of Vince Grant, is eventually able to track down and stop Edwards while seizing from him valuable technology that the REF can utilize to help free Earth from the Invid. However, Rick thinks little of Edwards' warning that a new threat is about to emerge.

At the end of the comic, Rick orders all available REF forces to assemble at Moon base ALUCE to prepare for one final assault on Earth to dislodge the Invid with the use of the new shadow technology obtained from the Haydonites. Rick, now at the age of 54, looks and acts considerably different from the young man in the original Robotech series.

Reluctantly, Rick authorizes the use of the newly acquired Neutron-S missiles if the REF's assault against the Invid on Earth is unsuccessful. The Neutron-S missiles are a devastating new superweapon developed with the assistance of the Haydonites, a highly advanced cybernetic race which also opposes the Invid. This decision is difficult for Rick, since although the missiles are more than powerful enough to destroy the Invid's central hive at Reflex Point, they will also wipe out most (or possibly all) life on Earth. Rick's decision is criticized by some of his officers who believe that the Neutron-S missiles should simply be used immediately; Like Rick, they are well aware that an attack against the Invid forces on Earth, even if successful, will likely result in very heavy losses to the REF. However, Rick refuses this request and orders that the missiles only be used as a last resort. Before the SDF-3 joins the attack, Rick asks Max Sterling to join him on the SDF-3 and appoints his daughter, Maia Sterling, to lead Skull Squadron in his place. Lisa, now fully recovered, also joins Rick on the bridge of the SDF-3. General Reinhardt, aboard the newly-completed SDF-4 Izumo is placed command of the REF fleet assembling at Moon Base ALUCE - Rick orders the SDF-3 to the Omicron Sector to oversee the test firing of a Neutron-S missile before it joins the rest of the fleet for the attack. However, the test goes horribly wrong as the true power of the missiles become apparent.

The comic ends here and paves the way for the movie Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles.